Punishment Key Dates

Murderum fine introduced for Norman deaths, paid by the hundred (village)

1070

Harrying of the North in response to uprising, salted the land, 100,000 die of starvation

1069-70

Pope Innocent III ends trial by Ordeal

1215

Hung Drawn and Quartered introduced for high treason by Edward III

1351

Henry IV introduces burning at the stake for heresy

1401

Vagrancy Act meant vagrants were branded with a V and put into slavery

1547

Game Act tried to punish the poor for poaching, but mostly still a social crime

1671

Act of Supremacy means if people don’t swear allegiance to Henry VIII they can be burned at the stake or gutted

1534

Witchcraft Act made witchcraft a capital offence under Henry VIII

1542

Act against Conjurations Enchantments and Witchcraft meant witchcraft was tried in common courts

1563

20 capital crimes in England

1688

222 capital crimes in England

1810

Transportation to America begins

1610

New Bridewell prison is used as a punishment, not just for holding prisoners awaiting trial, conditions are awful, hard labour used

1556

Act of Uniformity gave fines to those who didn’t attend (protestant) church

1559

Popish Recusants Act gives fines to catholics who don’t swear allegiance to the crown

1606

Black Act made poaching a capital offence, and blackening the face, carrying snares and hunting dogs punishable with fines and prison

1723

Government made being armed and disguised a capital offence to reduce highway robbery

1772

Tolpuddle Martyrs accused of swearing an oath to not tell anyone what they said to each other, which constitutes a mutiny; they were transported to Australia for punishment

1834

Transportation to australia begins, effective, 160,000 transported

1783

End of public executions as they were no longer effective

1868

End of transportation

1857

Gaols Act meant women and men were in separate prisons, gaolers were paid, and prisons were inspected

1823

Prisons Act gave prisons funding from the treasury and increased it's use as a punishment

1835

All prisons under government control

1877

Pentonville Prison opens

1842

Timothy Evans falsely executed for the murder of his wife and children

1950

Derek Bentley hanged for the murder of a police officer, learning disabilities (give it to him)

1953

Ruth Ellis executed after the murder of her abusive partner, 50,000 signature petition ignored

1955

Roy Jenkins ends hanging for under 18s

1933

Murder Act officially ends the use of the death penalty in the uk (not properly but never used again)

1965

Death penalty fully abolished in the uk

1999

Borstalls introduced

1900

Prisons Act emphasises rehabilitation and reform of prisoners

1898

Prevention of Crime Act introduces system of Borstals nationally- aimed to educate and punsih

1908

Criminal Justice Act, influenced by Alexander Patterson, made prison sentence linked to seriousness of offence; also created attendance centres for young people to attend on the weekend for minor crimes- aimed to rehabilitate

1948

Mentally ill patients treated separately to other prisoners; Broadmoor hospital opened

1896

End of hard labour in prisons

1902

Alternatives to prison begin to be used, like probation officers who check on offenders who love outside prison

1907

Children’s Act ends hanging of under 16s

1908

Separate system ends, educational opportunities introduced- more focus on prisoner welfare

1922

First open prison in Newhall Wakefield- prisoners out on day release to work and prepare for society

1933

End of hanging for under 18s

1933

Homicide Act limits death penalty to five categories of murder

1957

First Children’s and Young Persons Act raises age of responsibility to 10

1963

Second Children and Young Persons Act creates specialised courts, suspension orders and care orders

1969

Criminal Justice Act abolishes borstals and replaces them with youth custody centres